The Elusive Challenge of Daylighted Buildings 25 Years Later

As we approach the end of the decade of the 1990s, daylighting is increasingly promoted as a design strategy and building solution that can save energy and improve human performance and satisfaction in indoor spaces. Similar claims were made in the 1970s in the aftermath of the oil embargo. Twenty-five years later, in a world newly concerned about carbon emissions, global warming, and sustainable design, daylighted buildings are again proposed as a solution. While it is possible to find some examples of well daylighted buildings that have been built in the last 25 years, the fact that there are so few suggests that the optimistic outlook for daylighting needs to be critically (re)examined.